Air-heating apparatus



March 4, 1930. A. B. MODINE AIR HEATING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1926 f JA @A 'Patented Mar. 4, 1930 yUNIT-151D STATES ARTHUR B. MODINE, OFRACINE, WISCOSIN AIPv-HEATliNG APPARATUS Application filed May 28, 1926.Serial No. 112,373.

My invention relates to heat exchange apparatus and particularly to heatexchange apparatus having automatic controlling means. A particularobject of the invention is to provide improved heat exchange apparatushaving means for advancing a column of air and having means forcontrolling such air advancing means.

One form of the invention is embodied in a heating unit of the kindshown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 28,369,filed May 6, 1925, the heating unit preferably comprising a housingadapted to be suspended from a steam or hot water system and providedwith a radiator core through which a column of air is advanced by a fan.The fan is driven by an' electrical motor which is controlled by athermostat so that the temperature of a room in which the heating unitis positioned is automatically regulated.

Many other objects and advantages of the constructionherein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of'parts herein shown and described,

' and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The figure in the drawing isv a section taken through a heating unitembodying a preferred form of the invention, a circuitforming part ofthe invention being shown diagrammatically in connection with theheating unit. 4 Referring to the drawing, the reference character 10designates generally a housing which in this instance comprises upperand lower housing members 11 and 12. respectively, the housing members11 and 12 l, @ing provided with passa es 14 and 15, respectively.

The housing 10 a so comprises side plates 17 which are secured to thehousing members 11 and 12; Secured to the housing members 11 and 12 is aradiator c ore 18 comprising upper and lower tanks 19 and 20,respectively. The tanks 19-and 2O communicate with the passages 14' and15, respectively, and communicate with each other through a plurality ofthin walled tubes 23 which are prefer'-l ably provided with fins 24. Itwill be noted that the means for securing the radiator core 18 to thehousing 10 comprises portions 26 Ventending through the tanks 19 and 2Oand eratively connected to a pipe forming part of a steam or hot watersystem. Screw threaded into the housing member 12 and preferablycoaxially disposed with respect to the nipple 28 is a nipple 32 whichcommunicatcs with the passage 15 and is preferably provided with a pipeunion 33 whereby the nipple may be connected to the drain or return pipeof a steam or het water system. Obviously, the housing 10 together withthe parts carried thereby may be angularly adjusted around thecoincident axes of the nipples 28 and 32. Rigidly secured to the upperhousing member 11 and depending therefrom is a bracket 34 to which anelectrical motor 35 is secured, the shaft 36 of the motor being providedwith a fan 37 adapted to advance a column of air through the radiatorcore 18 when the motor is in operation.

The above described details of construction are more fully shown anddescribed in the aforementioned co-pending application and the presentinvention is limited to these details only to the extentr indicated inthe appended claims.

The electrical motor 35 maybe connected to any suitable source ofelectrical energy such as for instance mains 38 and 39, suitableconductors 40, 41 and 48 being preferably provided for this purpose. Inthis instance, the conductor 40 connects one terminal of the motor 35with the main 88 and the conductor 41 connects the other terminal of themotor to a contact 44 engageable by an armature 45, the armature 45forming part of a relay which also comprises an electro-magnet 46, orthe equivalent. A spring 47 normally tends to hold the armature 45against a stop 48 so that vit is disengaged from the contact 44. One

terminal of the winding of the electro-magnet 46 is connected to oneterminal of a switch 50, theother terminal of the switch being connectedto one lend of a thermostatic device 51. The thermostatic device isillustrated diagrammatically but preferably comprises a bimetallicmember having one end free to engage a contact 52 which is connected toone terminal of an electrical battery 53, the other terminal of thebattery 53 being connected to the other terminal of the winding of theelectro-magnet 46. lWhen the bi-metallic' member of the thermostaticdevice engages the contact 52, electrical current flows as follows:

u From the battery 53 through the Winding of the magnet 46, the switch50, the armature 51 and through the contact 52 back to the battery.l/Vhen the magnet 46 is so energized it attracts the armature 45 andcauses it to engage the Contact` 44 whereupon the electrical motor 35 isset in operation and the fan 37 advances a column of air through theradiator core 18. The arrangement is such that when the temperature ofthe room rises to a predetermined value, thebi-metallic element otthethermostatic device 52 will be disengaged from the contact 52 and themagnet 46 will be deenergized. This permits the spring 47 to retract the.armature 45 and the motor 35 is disconnected from the source ofelectrical energy. Gbviously, When the temperature of the room falls toa predetermined value, the motor 35 will again be set in operation.

lt will be readily understood that when a column of air is beingadvanced through the core 18 there is an etlicient exchange of heatbetween the heating fluid flowing through the means\carried by thehousing for advancing a column of a1r through said radiatorvcore,

and thermostatic means for controlling said en means constrained to movebodily Withthe radiator core for advancing a column of air therethrough,an electric circuit connected to said air advancing means, a relay insaid circuit, and a thermostat in said circuit for controlling saidrelay.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto signed my name.

ARTHUR B. MODINE.

tubular members 23 and the air passing around the tubular members,'whichexchange of heat will quickly cause the temperature of the room to rise.Then, when the thermostatic device 51 functions to disconnect'the motor35 from the source of electrical energy, the fan 37 will cease toadvance a column of vair through the radiator core and while therewillbe a transfer of heat from the heated fluid .to the air, theefficiency of theheating appaobvious that various immaterialmodifications may be made in thesame without departing from the spiritof my invention;

hence I de not wish to be understood as limitl. Heating apparatuscomprising a housing, tubular means for suspendingzsaid housing from apipe, a radiator core carriedby said housing and adapted to communicate`with said pipe through said't-ubular means,

